Second Time
by L.O.A.D
Summary: It's about Facilier. Post Eudora, pre movie.


**Review please. Facilier ain't mine.**

Ruth was walking down the streets of New Orleans, trying hard not to think of her husband, Thomas. He had discovered her most recent lover and as a result, she was searching for a new one. She stopped walking and sighed, looking around. She noticed something out of the corner of her eye. Sitting at his stand was The Shadowman. She chuckled at his nickname. He wasn't a man, not yet. She was about to keep walking when a thought came into her mind. The Shadowman may just be the solution to her problem. If her husband found she had taken another lover she'd get in trouble. But if her lover was The Shadowman, he would be hanged and she'd get away. Smiling at her plan, she walked over to his stand and sat down in the chair opposite to him.

"Hello," she said seductivelly, looking him over.

"Greetin's chere," he said back to her. "What do y'all want to know?" Ruth smiled.

"You single?" She asked. He swallowed.

"T-that's not what I meant," he said, looking around nervously. "D-do y'all have a problem that needs to be resolved?"

"As a matter of fact," Ruth said, "I do. My husband found my last lover out and I'm looking for a new one. Want to have fun kid?" Before he could react she leaned across the stand and kissed him. Startled, he fell back. Panting, Facilier looked around, noticing to his horror that people were looking at them. He got to his feet and backed away from her.

"Ma'am," he said. "This ain't appropriate." Ruth smiled and grabbed hold of his necklace, pulling him close. She whispered her address into his ear and let him go.

"Come visit sometime," she said before walking off. Facilier watched her leave then turned back to his stand. He glanced back up to notice some people glaring at him.

"I didn't do anythin'," he snapped. He swallowed, feeling suddenly trapped. Without another word he left for his emporium.

_**Break**_

Once he got ther he slammed the door shut and locked it, sinking to the ground.

"Why is this happenin' to me?" He moaned.

_Are you going to go? _A collection of voices asked. Facilier looked up and saw the masks on his wall. He swallowed and shook his head.

"No," he said.

_Why not? _They asked mockingly. _If you went you could lead her back here; give us something to feast on. _Again, he shook his head. The masks snarled. _What are you scared of?_

"I could be hanged for it," he said. "I will be hanged for it."

_Only if they find out, _the masks hissed. They looked down a him and grinned. _You know you want to. _Facilier sighed.

"If I die..."

_You won't, _they said. With a sigh, Facilier got to his feet and unlocked the door, going to find the woman.

_**Break**_

It took him until nightfall to find her home. Trembling, he walked to the front door. He swallowed and went to knock on the door.

"And what do you think your doing?" A voice asked from behind him. He let out a frightened yelp and his knees buckled.

"Don't hurt me," he begged.

"Turn around," the person said. He did and saw the same woman that had told him to come. She looked at him and shook her head. "If you're going to do this," she said, "you need a better approach than walking up to the front door. You're lucky my husband ain't home." Facilier swallowed.

"I made a mistake," he said. "I shouldn't have come. Sorry to bother y'all." He tried to walk away but she grabbed hold of his collar.

"Oh no you don't," she said. "You went through the trouble o' comin' here, so I'm goin' to make it worth your while." Facilier swallowed again.

"I want to leave," he said. Ruth shook her head.

"Just relax," she said. "You'll be fine."

**_Break_**

Facilier sat in her house, questioning his choice to go there. Ruth smiled at him and set down a glass of wine in front of him.

"So," she said, sitting down across from him with her own glass. "What's your name, Shadowman?"

"Facilier," he said. She smiled at him again, making him shudder.

"Have a drink," she commanded. Facilier nodded, taking a sip of the wine. Ruth smiled and got up, walking behind him to rub his shoulders. "Relax," she whispered in his ear. "You're too tense." Facilier nodded, closing his eyes as she rubbed his shoulders. "I think it's time we went into my room," she said. Facilier nodded without thinking, getting out of the chair. She led him into her room and laid down on the bed, watching him. Facilier looked from her to the door behind him.

_Well, I've gone this far._

**_Break_**

Facilier laid next to her, breathing heavily and feeling rather bruised.

_Eudora wasn't _that _rough,_ he though to himself. He sat up, muscles he didn't even know he had aching.

"First time?" Ruth asked.

"Second," Facilier confessed. He got out of the bed and got dressed.

"Ruth?" A man's voice called. "You home dear?" Facilier paled, his heart skipping a beat.

"No," he begged. Ruth looked at him.

"That's my husband," she said. "Hide in the closet; if he sees you, he'll kill you." Facilier nodded, rushing into the closet and closing the door. He slumped down to the ground, some light shining down on him. He heard the door to the room open and held his breathe, fearing for his life.

"Thomas," he heard Ruth say. "You're home early."

"Just checkin' in on you dear," Thomas replied. "I need to head off soon." He stood in front of the closet, his shadow falling upon Facilier. A frightened whimper escaped his throat as he tried to press further into the closet.

_I'm goin' to die,_ he thought as he started at the silhouette of Thomas, expecting him to open the door at any moment. Fortunately, Thomas didn't.

"Well I'm fine," Ruth said. "You ain't got to worry." Thomas nodded and kissed his wife.

"In that case, I'll be off," Thomas said, walking to the door to the room. Facilier heard the door open and shut but didn't dare leave the closet. He heard footsteps coming to the closet door. He squeezed his eyes shut and trembled, his breath caught in his throat. The door opened and he let out a frightened gasp.

"He's gone," Ruth said, looking down at him. Facilier opened his eyes and looked at her, still trembling.

"I want to leave," he said. Ruth frowned.

"Why?" She asked. "We were just having fun." He shook his head.

"I wasn't," he said. He got to his feet. "I'm leavin'." Without another word he left. Ruth watched him go, frowning. After he was gone she walked over to one of her servents.

"I want you to tell my husband about him," Ruth told the woman. "Do it covertly, understand?" The servent nodded. Ruth smiled. "Good," she said. "He'll learn that no one leaves me and gets away with it."

_**Break**_

Ruth sat at the table the next morning eating breakfast. Her husband walked in and sat next to her.

"You whore," Thomas said immediatly. "I heard about you little friend yesterday. A _negro_."

"What'll you do?" Ruth asked, barely hiding her smirk. Thomas glared at her.

"I'm gonna go punish him," he said.

_**Break**_

Facilier got out of his bed and got dressed. He would have preffered not having to go out that day but he knew the Friends would never have allowed it. He sighed, putting his hat on his head and walking out the door. As he turned around to lock the door, he heard a shotgun cock behind him.

"Turn around boy," a man said. Facilier swallowed, his throat tight. He dropped his keys and lifted his hands over his head.

"Don't shoot," he whimpered.

"Why not?" Thomas asked gruffly. "I know you were with my wife." Facilier swallowed again.

"I-I'm sorry," he said.

"Just turn around," Thomas said, growing impatient. "Turn around and face death like a man." Facilier froze for a moment before relenting. Slowly, he turned around. He looked at the gun and squeezed his eyes shut, remembering the aweful mess a shotgun made. When nothing happened, he opened his eyes again.

Thomas relaxed and lowered the gun, looking at the frightened teenager in front of him.

"You're only a kid," he said. "Have you ever even been with a woman?"

"Excluding your wife?" Facilier asked without thinking. The moment the words left his mouth he immediately regretted them. He stared terrified at the gun, expecting it to lift up and end his young life. Thomas looked at him. If he had been anyone else, Thomas would have emptied his gun into him. But the person cowering before him looked barely old enough to be living on his own. Thomas nodded and smiled slightly.

"Yes," he said. "Excluding my wife." Facilier swallowed and nodded slightly.

"O-once," he said, still watching the gun. Thomas sighed.

"You can relax," Thomas said. "I ain't gonna kill you."

"Y-you ain't?" Facilier asked, daring to hope. Thomas nodded.

"No," he said. "My wife played us both for fools." Facilier relaxed slightly and reached down to get his keys.

"So now what?" Facilier asked.

"I'm not sure," Thomas said. "But I'll give you some advice; watch yourself. You could be hanged for what you did." Facilier paled.

"I'm aware," he said. Thomas nodded and left the young Bokor alone. Facilier watched him go before leaving the alley.


End file.
